'Romanising'

New Zealand Tablet, 15 July 1909, Page 1090

'Romanising'

The Romanising ' movement in the Church of England proceeds apace. And there is ' dour wark ' ahead for the Auckland Laymen's League, which has set itself the taslc of shivering the timbers of this long-established and Avellorganised and growing tendency to ' undo the work of the Reformation.' In England, as we pointed out in our last issue, the • flattery of imitation of ' Rome' in doctrine and ritual has been carried' to a point which —so far as its external expression is concerned—would almost deceive the elect. Anglican popular Protestant sentiment is not yet prepared, in these countries, to accept, for instance, some of the very 'high' ritual and doctrinal teaching of St. Alban's, London. Neither would it witness, without wiu«ing, some of the evidences of ' Romanising' that peep out of the literary and advertising columns of the Church, Times, the great and influential organ of the ' high' party in the Anglican Establishment. We have not been a reader of its interesting pages for a good while past. But we cull a few extracts here and there from a writer in the Edinburgh Catholic Herald of May 29, who takes them from tie Church Times. 'In that newspaper,' he writes, 'six weeks ago appeared an advertisement from the Protestant parson of Stornoway, asking if any of its readers would subscribe '.' for a sanctuary lamp to burn before the Blesse-1 Sacrament in the most isolated parish in Britain, or who would give the Stations of the Cross" to be put up in the church. The Church Times of 23rd April last contains four advertisements in which the word " Mass" occurs. I copy exactly one —as the others are similarly •worded-=~as worded —as follows: " Priest Wanted in Northern. Town. Six Points. Daily Mass. Apply ." The six points, I may mention, are six well-known Catholic usages—such as unleavened bread, mixing water with clialice, lights, etc. Here is another sample: "Community of St. Katherine's, Normand House, Normand road, London. -Retreat will be given by Father Black on . Apply Rev. Mother." Last week the same paper has also four advertisements for assistant ministers where ".Daily Mass" is mentioned. Here is a specimen of an advertisement, typical of most of the advertisements under the heading "Clerical," appearing week after week in the newspaper already mentioned: " Priest Wanted. Catholic. Daily Eucharist. Apply ." Other two advertisements, also in last week's Church Times, are worded thus: "St. Saviour's, Poplar. Seventh year's mind of Father Dolling! Friday, 14th May, 8.30 p.m.—Vespers of the Dead and Sermon. Saturday, 15th May, 7 a.m.—Sung Mass of Requiem." " Saturday, May 15th, seventh anniversary of the death of Father Dolling—A Requiem will be sung at St. Cuthbert's, Earl's Court," etc. In the same newspaper t read that "the dedication anniversary"—the 1200 th of the first abbey church " by St. Wilfrid, Bishop of York, was held at Evesham in All Saints Church by a Missa Cantata (sung Mass) celebrated by the Vicar on Ist May. On Sunday the Abbot of Caldey preached three times in All Saints. At the afternoon service, for men only, the Mayor

and Corporation attended in state, with .the band and men of the local Territorials, etc. The Abbot of Caldey gave a powerful address on ' Character.' There were crowded congregations at all the services. The Abbot of Caldey gave a beautiful address on ' Perfection,' illustrating his remarks by reference to the Benedictine Order now so happily revived in England," The Abbot of Caldey is a Monk of the Protestant Church of England as by Law Established. . . I have just received from Messrs. Mowbray, publishers, London, a little book entitled A Guide to High Mass Abroad, Being a Manual for the Use of English Churchmen Attending the Celebration of the Eucharist in Itoman Catholic Countries., By Athelstan Riley, M.A.,member of the House of Laymen of the Province of Canterbury.' * " * The Laymen's League is 'up against ' a big proposition. And judging by the past and present, its anti- ' Romanising ' movement will be (in Mr. Mantalini's words) ' a dem'd horrid grind ' — with little of the red meat of success to reward its self-imposed and well-meant toil.